


Angel

by chaosmanor



Series: The Gift [3]
Category: Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-11-01
Updated: 2003-11-01
Packaged: 2017-10-10 23:32:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/105646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaosmanor/pseuds/chaosmanor





	Angel

Gimli did not wake easily. Legolas shook his shoulder again and hissed "Gimli, what does an elf have to do to wake a dwarf?"

Gimli prised his eyes open. "I wasn't asleep. I was just resting," Gimli replied grouchily.

Legolas didn't blame Gimli for feeling grouchy. He was exhausted himself, and had had to keep moving during his watch in order to stay awake. They had run for most of the previous night, and all the present day, covering at least 17 leagues across the plains of Rohan.

"There's nothing moving on the plain. You should have a peaceful watch," he said as he removed his bow and quiver from his back in preparation for sleep.

Gimli grumbled "Good," and walked off through the tall grass to relieve himself.

Legolas looked around their rudimentary campsite, hoping to find somewhere soft and dry and warm to sleep. For the first time that night he allowed himself to look at Aragorn. He was sprawled on his back, right arm outflung, left hand resting on Anduril in its scabbard. He was obviously exhausted by their journey because he had not woken when Legolas was trying to wake Gimli. Normally Aragorn woke as easily as Legolas, disturbed by any unusual sound, Anduril drawn.

Legolas was tired, bone weary, and deeply sorrowed by the loss of Boromir and the breaking of the Fellowship. He pulled his cloak around himself and lowered himself gently to the ground on Aragorn's right hand side. He eased his head onto Aragorn's chest and shoulder, holding his breath so as not to wake Aragorn, and slid his body next to Aragorn's. Legolas knew what he was doing was wrong, but he felt unable to resist the comfort of the contact, he needed this closeness. He fell almost immediately into a deep, dreamless sleep, and never felt Aragorn's right arm curl around him, and draw him closer.

 

*************************

As darkness fell on their second camp in Rohan, Legolas surveyed the horizon, looking for movement on the endless plain. He had first watch this night, and was looking forward to an unbroken few hours sleep afterwards.

He had slept deeply last night, resting his head on Aragorn's shoulder, and had woken at dawn to find himself held closely by Aragorn's right arm, with Aragorn's left hand resting on his shoulder, caught in his loose hair.

Aragorn had woken at the same time, stretched his arms, and behaved as though waking up holding an elf happened all the time. "That's right," thought Legolas, "It did," remembering the Lady Arwen.

 

Gimli walked to the small rise where Legolas was squatting, surveying the horizon and the open grasslands.

"Legolas," Gimli said, "I'm sorry. If I had known you and Aragorn were close, I would have made sure you both had some privacy."

"We aren't…together, so there is no need for an apology," replied Legolas, turning to look at the dwarf.

Gimli creased his face in what might have been a smile and said, "At dawn, this morning, when I returned to camp from being on watch, you were holding each other in your sleep."

Legolas turned his face to the horizon again, hiding his embarrassment. He thought that only a dwarf would intrude in such a personal matter.

Gimli remained standing next to him, obviously expecting a response.

Legolas sighed. "That is all there can be. Aragorn is betrothed, so there can never be anything else," replied Legolas, not managing to keep bitterness out of his voice.

Gimli turned to leave, and said, "If I was betrothed, I wouldn't hold anybody else whilst they slept. I wouldn't want to hold anyone else."

Gimli walked off, leaving Legolas to watch the plain. For some reason Legolas' heart seemed a little lighter, and Gimli did not seem as intrusive.

 

 

The stars had moved overhead when Legolas went to wake Gimli for his watch.

This time, the dwarf woke quickly, muttering what were probably obscenities under his breath in Dwarvish.

When Gimli had moved off to check the sky and the plain, Legolas turned to look at the sleeping Aragorn. Legolas had spent his watch trying to decide what to do. Should he sleep next to Aragorn tonight? How did Aragorn feel about waking up holding him? Aragorn had not behaved any differently to Legolas during the day, had given him no clues.

At that moment, Aragorn rolled onto his back, his eyes open, and stretched a hand out to Legolas.

"Join me?" he asked huskily.

Legolas shucked off his bow and quiver and knelt down beside Aragorn. Legolas knew he had no chance of refusing, his feelings for Aragorn were too intense. Aragorn took his hand.

"Last night I dreamt an angel was sleeping in my arms. Will you give me the same dream tonight?" asked Aragorn.

Aragorn pulled him down beside him so that they were lying on their sides facing each other. Aragorn's rough, callused hand stroked Legolas' cheek.

Aragorn kissed Legolas as gently as he could, the touch of his lips like the brush of a feather. The softness of the kiss was emphasised by the strength in his hand.

Legolas spoke against the kiss. "What about…" and then his words were hushed by more kisses.

Aragorn pulled back and said, "There may be no tomorrow. Our lives may end in orc arrows, or in sword blows. Tonight, let me kiss you."

They kissed with the gentlest of kisses until their lips were swollen, until the stars in the sky melted and ran together, until Legolas' heart was full of joy, until Aragorn admitted to himself that he was in love with Legolas.

*********************************


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